Multi-Sheet Cooling Buffer for Heavyweight Duplex Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for inkjet printing are inefficient for heavyweight sheets, requiring multiple air-cooled rollers that increase the complexity and reduce printing speed, as they struggle to effectively cool sheets to an optimal temperature for duplex printing.
Innovation Solution
A multi-sheet cooling buffer with an array of cooling stations, each equipped with a continuous belt and a cooling mechanism, that can contemporaneously cool multiple sheets by directing them through a series of parallel belts and clamping plates, reducing sheet temperature before re-printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If air-cooled rollers are used to cool sheets, then sheet temperature is reduced, but the number of rollers needed for heavyweight sheets becomes significant and impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple independent cooling stations arranged in parallel, where each station contains a single roller with cooling capability. This segmentation allows the system to handle heavyweight sheets effectively by distributing the cooling function across multiple stations rather than requiring a single complex multi-roller system.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple cooling stations are merged into a single integrated cooling device that can process multiple sheets simultaneously. The parallel arrangement of cooling stations allows heavyweight sheets to be cooled effectively while maintaining a practical and compact device structure.
2Temperature
If multiple air-cooled rollers are used for heavyweight sheets, then cooling effectiveness improves, but printing speed must be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The parallel arrangement of multiple cooling stations enables continuous cooling of multiple sheets simultaneously, maintaining a steady flow of cooled sheets through the system. This continuous operation allows heavyweight sheets to be cooled effectively without interrupting the printing process or reducing overall printing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
By dividing the cooling function into multiple independent stations operating in parallel, the system can process heavyweight sheets through multiple cooling points simultaneously, maintaining high throughput and printing speed while achieving effective temperature reduction.
3Area of stationary object
If a compact cooling system is designed, then footprint is reduced, but cooling effectiveness for heavyweight sheets may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling stations are arranged in a parallel configuration that optimizes space utilization, effectively transitioning from a linear extended layout to a compact parallel arrangement. This dimensional reorganization reduces the overall footprint while maintaining multiple cooling stations to ensure effective cooling of heavyweight sheets.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for efficient cooling of heavyweight sheets, maintaining printing speed while improving image quality by reducing graininess and printhead overheating, enabling the use of heavyweight papers at full-rated speeds without significant footprint increase.
Implementation Method 1
A multi-sheet cooling buffer downstream of the dryer cools the heated sheets
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-sheet cooling buffer suitable for use in a printing device and a method of sheet processing with the cooling buffer are described. The cooling buffer includes an inlet and an outlet and a sheet cooling mechanism. An array of cooling stations, intermediate the inlet and the outlet, are each configured to receive print media sheets independently from the inlet and direct cooled sheets towards the outlet. In the cooling buffer, multiple print media sheets are able to be cooled contemporaneously in respective ones of the cooling stations.